One of a kind 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible: one of the most expensive Corvettes on the planet (39 photos)

Unique 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ZL-1 Convertible issue will be sold at RM Sotheby's in Phoenix, Arizona, January 26th.





We are talking about the world's only roadster ZL1 1969, which is equipped with a seven-liter engine originally created for the series CanAm. This unit was not intended for sale. However, thanks to good connections, the first owner still managed to order a car with such a motor and automatic transmission. According to preliminary estimates the car can go for 2.6-3 million dollars.



In 1968, the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray got the RPO ZL1 option, which doubled the price of the original machine. For $4718 the buyer could get reinforced brakes and suspension, rear axle Positraction and contactless ignition, but the main acquisition it was the engine after all. They became one of the variants of the racing "eight" for the CanAm series, the return of which was 568 horsepower. For that at the time it was the most powerful unit in the Chevrolet range.





The 7.0 liter aluminum L88 featured reinforced connecting rods and a high-lift camshaft. And it can also was used with a three-range automatic Turbo-Hydramatic 425, which aroused the keen interest of John W. Maher of Leechburg, Pennsylvania. Using his connections and enlisting the support of Grady Davis, two-time SCCA champion, Maher became the first and only private a customer who managed to buy a roadster with such an engine through a dealer.



The RPO ZL1 engine was just an FIA/NHRA homologation experiment and not intended for sale. But Maher was lucky with his friends, and 21 November 1968, the construction of the ZL1 / M40 power unit was given the green light. The next day, they confirmed the application for a roadster in Monaco color. Orange, and the car came with drag racing parts, including side exhaust pipes and a spare rear final drive bridge with a gear ratio of 4.11:1.



From February 1969 to November 1972, the Corvette ZL1 terrorized participants in hill climbing, autocross and drag racing competitions in Western Pennsylvania. Maher even came up with a nickname for the car - Winning Automatically (reference to automatic transmission). IN 2007 year the roadster was sold to the current owner. He completely restored and for several years transferred to the exposition of the Automobile Simeon Foundation Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.



Since only two such cars were built (the second one was in the back of coupe), the sale price of the Corvette can be very high. Estimated auctioneers, we are talking about the amount of 2.6 - 3 million dollars, although for C3 this is far from a record. In 2014, a sports car with a conventional "eight" L88 sold for 3.82 million dollars.